Where to Go with Your Tax Refund: The Museums and Monuments of Washington DC

Tax day is here, and you're probably excited...but not because you love sifting through receipts and credit card statements. You're excited because you're getting a fat refund. Probably. The economy may be on its way back up, but you should try to stretch that tax refund as far as you can...like with a little "you did a great job last year" tripa Tax Refund Vacation.

If the tax refund gods were kind to you this year then you’re probably feeling friendly when it comes to the folks that do all of that paper pushing and spreadsheet filtering down in Washington, DC. That’s why we suggest making a visit to Uncle Sam’s backyard with all those refund dollars to pay back the government for all it does for us—haha—with a visit to the nation’s capital and the Capitol.

The cherry blossoms have come and gone, but that doesn’t mean that taking in the views along the Potomac still isn’t worth your time. As far as getting to “the District,” it’s pretty darn easy thanks to Reagan National Airport and its proximity to all the city has to offer. Easy connections thanks to the area’s awesome Metro will have you downtown before you know it—no need for a taxi.

Airfare should not set you back a ton, as there are plenty of flights in and out of the city. Nonstop flights for a few weekends in May can be had for as little as $150 from New York City, $340 from Chicago, $400 from Dallas, and $175 from Boston. Finding somewhere to stay should be easy on the budget as well, as a quick look doesn’t reveal anything too crazy. You should be able to grab something from a reputable brand for under $200, and there are plenty of cool options from Kimpton within that range as well—including The Hotel George and Palomar Washington DC.

As far as stuff to do there’s always all of the awesome, and free, museums. The Smithsonian has pretty much everything you would want to see spread across several different buildings and properties like the American History Museum and Natural History Museum, and of course there’s monuments and memorials dedicated to the best the country has had to offer.

One can only take so much history without making some memories of her own, so be sure to swing through the city’s trendy neighborhoods for shopping, eating, and grabbing a drink. Dupont Circle is a destination detour, Georgetown is great for shopping, and Adams Morgan is where you can find plenty of the cool kids doing their thing each and every evening. No matter where you spend some time just be sure to check out what Washington, DC has to offer besides the government buildings and tourist attractions.